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Tradition & Innovation Realizes $1.3 Million

BROWSE THE FULL AUCTION CATALOG

On Sunday, December 2, 2018, Toomey & Co. Auctioneers was pleased to present Tradition & Innovation, our inaugural auction of important works from the 19th century through today. This sale offered items across a variety of artistic movements and media by painters, furniture makers, designers, ceramicists, silversmiths, sculptors, and architects who have helped define the world of art and design for more than a century. Overall, the auction had a 94% sell-through rate and brought a combined $1.3 million. Tradition & Innovation will now take place annually in early December.

In an ever-evolving art market, it has become increasingly necessary to distinguish ourselves from other auctioneers and art dealers. Art collectors attend thousands of auctions, gallery openings, and art fairs around the world every year, and the material they encounter is often shown exclusively within the context of works from the same movement or period. Similarly, certain mediums such as ceramics and silver have typically been branded as “decorative” or “functional,” and it is our goal that Tradition & Innovation present and elevate important artists and makers from across the world, across time, and across media to help bridge the collecting gap between what is distinguished Traditional, Modern, Contemporary, Fine, or Decorative Art.

A selection of biographies for the artists and makers presented in the Tradition & Innovation auction can be found near the back of the catalog. We included these to illustrate why we feel these pieces are of art historical significance and to encourage a heightened level of connoisseurship.

COVID-19 Update

Given COVID-19, please email info@toomeyco.com for auction preview, to drop off items, or to submit consignments. At this time, clients and third-party shippers may pick up purchases ONLY if invoices have been pre-paid and a pick-up appointment has been made. We will arrange for no-contact, curbside transmission of all items into personal or shipping vehicles. Please note that submitting this form will add you to our mailing list to receive updates on our business status, upcoming auctions, and consignment procedures.